A Merry Jolly Red Xmas!
by DeathscytheVII
Summary: It's Christmas time at Jump City, and this year the Teen Titans have done a secret santa to determine who receives what gift. Unfortunately, an old foe drops by for a friendly 'holiday visit'...
1. Prologue

**Prologue **

(Overhead view of Titan's Tower.)

Snow had arrived early this year, burying Jump City under a gentle blanket of white. Malls were crammed with seasonal shoppers, each hoping to get dibs on the lowest prices, while gift wrappers worked frantically to satisfy the long lines of impatient customers. It was a season of joy, a season of giving, and the charities were filled to the brim with presents, while volunteers filled the soup kitchens, handing out hot meals to the poor. Carolers littered the streets as well, singing the songs of the season.

Everyone was in the holiday mood, well almost everyone….

"Someone stop those annoying people." Raven said in an annoyed tone as she attempted to continue her meditation in midair. A group of grateful citizens decided to put on a show for the local heroes, organizing a large rally that sang carols in front of the Titan tower.

"They are just carolers Raven, no harm in that." Robin said, slightly amused.

"Yea Rave! Get in the holiday spirit!" Beast Boy popped his head up over the couch, an array of presents littered on the floor behind him. "Don't you celebrate Christmas where you were from?"

"I came from a demon world. Demons aren't usually known for their displays of holiday spirit." The dark girl said dryly.

"But surely you will take part in the festivities Raven? It seems very beautiful and fun!"

"Not to mention the Egg Nog." Cyborg gave a satisfying rub on his stomach. "Mmmm Mmmm."

"Dude, that's nasty, don't they at least make it in tofu flavour.." Beast Boy stuck out his tongue.

"I did say…. EGG nog. Yo, what is up with you? Everything that isn't meat HAS to be tofu?"

Beast Boy crossed his arms and turned his head away as if offended. "It's better than that gunk you drink."

"At least it doesn't taste like Styrofoam!." Cyborg snapped back.

"Oh yea!! Well I'll have you know…." Beast boy went on in another shouting match with Cyborg.

"Oh brother…." Raven, giving up all hopes of meditation, quickly landed back on the kitchen counter, content with a cup of herbal tea.

"So….Star…have you checked your present yet?" Robin asked quietly as the Tamaranian girl entered the room.

Starfire shook her head. "Oh no! I have not! I wonder what it is…." The Titans this year…were doing secret Santa, where they each drew lots to see what present they would buy for each other. Beast Boy had picked Starfire, but Robin was not one to give up so easily.

_"Nuh Uh dude! Remember the rules?" Beast Boy gave a grin as he greedily hugged the slip of paper he drew. "We can't exchange! Oooooh boy, Star is so gonna like the whoppee cushion ill send her, maybe a box of Mexican jumping beans!" _

Robin nodded.. "Uh huh…."

(A few seconds later)

_"This isn't fair dude! I don't even know what to get Raven!" Beast Boy complained as he swung back and forth on the rope he was tied to; upside down from the ceiling. _

Robin merely gave a grin, then walked out of the hall, holding the slip of paper with Starfire's name in his hand.

"I am so curious Robin! I also wonder what you have got!" Starfire blushed, hiding the fact that she had drawn Robin's name from the hat.

"Maybe It's a lump of coal from Santa…" Beast Boy said in his slightly peeved tone, until Robin shot a glare at him.

Beast Boy quickly wiped the back of his head innocently, "Uh….did I say that…I meant umm."

"Who is this Santa?" Starfire wondered out loud.

The rest of the Titans (save Raven who was quietly enjoying her tea.) dropped their jaws in shock.

"Dude? You don't know who Santa is?"

The Tamaranian shook her head innocently.

Beast Boy began his shotgun lesson immediately, pulling a gigantic blackboard with a over-bloated caricature of a happy old man who was drawn like a giant red ball. "You see, he's a jolly old man in a red suit with a bunch of reindeer and a sleigh who flies around giving presents to all the children in the world." Beast Boy explained, assuming an authoritative tone as if he were a professor addressing an eager pupil. Then he gave an ominous glare, and his voice became more dark. "They say he keeps a naughty list of every person, and when they are bad…you get…A LUMP OF COAL!" Beast Boy instantly produced a bag of coal he found under the kitchen sink, which was saved for Cyborg's grill in the summer.

Starfire took the shotgun lesson in quietly. She innocently stroked her chin with her hand.  
"You mean he spies on people? And delivers them this Black Substance?" Starfire said with a shocked tone. "Then we must put a stop to his evil ways."

Robin gave an amused reply. "Don't worry Star, Santa's a kind old man, Beast Boy has a way of…exaggerating things."

"I do not!" Beast Boy said, slightly offended.

"I see…well there are so many things I have yet to understand about this holiday….why do all the buildings start sprouting all those beautiful lights? Why do the trees do that too? Is it in the Earth life cycle?"

"Star….they're decorations." Cyborg interjected, then proudly pointed to the gigantic Christmas tree next to the window, which was lined with everyone's presents. "Like that! Now THAT'S a Christmas tree!" He said with a tone of satisfaction, he was after all, the one who cut it down and hauled it up thirty flights of stairs to the tower.

"Will you guys keep it down?" Raven shot dryly, she had just finished her herbal tea, and was resuming her meditation next to the Christmas tree by the window.

"Aw common Rave." Beast Boy said in his usual annoying tone. "Why don't you get into the holiday….."

He never finished the sentence.

The building shook now, and the Window Raven was meditating next to exploded in a gigantic flash. The room became bathed in bright white, then began filling with smoke from the rubble. Cyborg ducked behind the counter, while Beast Boy gave a surprised shout and jumped behind the couch. Robin jumped and pushed Starfire out of harms way, avoiding the shards of glass that exploded into all directions, digging into the TV, furniture and walls.

Robin stood up now, his ears still ringing from the blast. He helped Starfire up. While the Titans recovered, terrified screams of fleeing Carolers were heard from below the tower.

"Raven?" Beast Boy shouted as he and the other titans emerged from the smoke. There was no sound, then all of a sudden, Raven came flying through the smoke, giving a grunt as if she had been kicked.

The smoke began lifting now, and the team watched in surprise as a silouette of a familiar figure approached from the window.

"X?" Robin said with shock, he half expected it to be Slade, even that looney mad mod, who were still out there somewhere, but this was really the last thing he expected.

Red X gave a smirk from his hiding place in the shadows, casually leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

As the Titans prepared themselves for battle, Red X's first reaction with to merely give them a friendly wave.

"Hey kids, did ya miss me?" He began in his usual taunting cocky voice, afterwards he suddenly whipped open his arms, making a whooshing sound as he took out his weapons; Each hand holding a X-shaped blade.............

(CUE THEME SONG :))

_When there's trouble you know who to call  
Teen Titans!  
From their tower, they can see it all  
Teen Titans!_

When there's evil on the attack  
You can rest knowing they got your back  
'Cuz when the world needs heroes on patrol  
Teen Titans GO!

With their superpowers they unite  
Teen Titans!  
Never met a villain that they liked  
Teen Titans!

They've got the bad guys on the run  
They never stop 'till the job gets done  
'Cuz when the world is losin' all control  
Teen Titans GO!

1.. 2.. 3.. 4....  
Teen Titans!


	2. Rockin Around The Christmas Tree

**Part 1: Rockin around, the Christmas Tree**

"So? Ready to play?" Red X crossed his arms again, the two blades glinting in the bright light of the Christmas trees.

Cyborg had jumped over the counter now, turning his arm into a cannon as he landed on the floor, while Starfire and Raven both flanked the team, their energy beams already charging in their hands.

"What are you up to X?" Robin's voice was anything but friendly as he took out his Bird-A-rangs, three in each hand.

Red X grinned. "Well, its been so long since our last rumble, so I thought I'd drop by for a nice holiday visit." He lowered his stance now, as if ready to charge.

"You've all been very naughty this year titans….." He said darkly, then turned to Starfire with a flirtatious tone. "Well…maybe except you cutie, you're on the top of my nice list." He shot her a wink.

"Titans! Go!" Robin shouted now, and the five heroes ran at Red X.

X curled his arms now, then in a split second, produced two more blades in each hand, folding them out as seamlessly as a poker player would when he folds out his cards.

"look out!" Robin stopped dead in his tracks, throwing his six bird-a-rangs at the villain, starfire and Raven swerved to the sides, avoiding Red X's blades as he threw them at Robin. The blades made a sickening sound as it sliced through the air, spinning like a saw blade as they flew at the boy wonder.

Each blade met one of Robin's bird-a-rangs however, and the objects collided in mid air, causing sparks as metal clanged against metal. It did not matter of course, since Red X's blades cut through Robin's bird-a-rangs like a hot knife through butter.

"Duck!" Beast Boy yelled, transforming into a turtle while Cyborg dove out of the way. The six Red X's dug themselves deeply into the wall behind the titans.

A much relieved Beast Boy got up. "HAH! You must be losing your touch dude, you just missed us."

Red X smirked. "Think again kid."

Each blade exploded now, causing the entire section of the wall behind Beast Boy to collapse into a gigantic avalanche of rock and rubble. Beast Boy stood there, dumbfounded until he saw the section of the wall fall through the smoke.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven chanted, and the rocks stopped just inches above a much relieved Beast Boy's head.  
Red X however, was fast, and he suddenly appeared behind Raven, attaching an X onto her back which shocked her in red energy.

Raven fell down in pain, but not as much pain as Beast Boy, who was suddenly buried under a mountain of concrete as Raven lost control of her powers. The dust from the collapse obscured the whole room now, blanketing it in a sort of greyish white mist.

"Robin?!" Starfire coughed through the smoke, "Where are-"

A series of Red X's flew at her now, pinning her to the wall. She saw through the smoke, the villain's silhouette.

Starfire charged her laser eyes now, but X was quicker, and he pointed both his palms at the Tamaranian girl's face, shooting two smaller X's that quickly covered both her eyes, a third one sealed her mouth shut.

"Tsk Tsk." Red X waved a taunting finger in front of the disabled Starfire. "No peeking until Christmas day."

A grunt came from behind X, and he somersaulted backwards, avoiding two bird-a-rangs that were thrown right beside him. Just as he was in mid air however, a swift kick contacted him in the ribs.

X was sent flying back, right at Cyborg whose cannon was already charging. The Android fired, letting loose a stream of plasma energy at him. Red X however, simply planted a hand on the ground while he was flying backwards, and avoided the beam with another backflip as he touched ground, landing a swift kick in the head to Cyborg.

Robin rushed through the smoke now, bo staff already out, and X barely had enough time to parry it with the X-shaped blades on his wrists.

"What are you trying to do?" Robin said with strain as he forced X back slowly.

"Just…." Red X said with strain as he pushed against Robin, the two were evenly matched in strength. "trying to make my holiday a little more interesting, that's all."  
He was not interested in a test of strengths, and instead ducked down, throwing robin off balance, and quickly gave a sweeping kick, tripping Robin on his back. The bo staff fell harmlessly on the floor.

X stood up now, retracting his blades, and quickly scanned the room. Cyborg was out, an imprint of a foot still on his right cheek. Raven was still smoking from that huge shock he gave her, Beast Boy was presumably under that pile of rubble, Starfire and Robin were both immobilized.

It was Payback. Short and sweet.

He walked to the window now, ignoring the sounds the Titans were making as they recovered. Beast Boy had transformed into an elephant, throwing the concrete pieces around the room as he erupted from his stone prison. Starfire charged her eyes at full power, quickly frying the Synothium goo he gagged her with.

X turned around now, and gave the reassembling titans a smirk. "Well that was a nice party wouldn't you say?" The villain spread his arms now, his black tattered cape flowed violently in the wind as he backed away to the window's edge. "Oh and thanks for all the great gifts. Have a good one." He leaned back, falling out of the window and disappearing into the cold stormy night.

"Aw man…" Cyborg groaned, "What do you think that was for? And what did he mean by gifts?"

"I think I know already." Robin said, pointing to the empty spot in the corner under the Christmas tree, which moments ago had contained five separate presents.

Beast Boy was the first one to shout with outrage.

"Dude! We've been ripped off!"


	3. Cat and Mouse

**Continued**

"He took our gifts!?" Cyborg steamed now, and Beast Boy swore he saw steam blow out of the android's human ears. "Why?"

"I think the more important question is," Raven replied dryly as she peeled the annoying X stuck on her cape. "how did he get his suit back? Didn't Robin lock his belt away?"

Robin shook his head, while using his bird-a-rangs to cut Starfire free from the Red goo that bounded her to the wall. "I don't know how X managed it, but I bet it had something to do with that attack Slade pulled on us months ago" Robin was frustrated, not only by the fact that Red X got away again and that he was his responsibility, but thinking about Slade again just upsetted his mood.

"Just remember Robin." Starfire gave Robin a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "The Red X is our responsibility, not just you. We will defeat him together."

"You bet we'll defeat him! Dude! I spent so much time thinking about what to get for our Secret Santa! He better not open them!" Beast Boy said in an annoyed tone.

"Red X is just a thief, he's not interested in hurting anyone." Robin explained as he picked up his bo staff from the ground. "I think he just wants our attention."

"Well, if he wants to play, we'll play." Cyborg slammed his fists together.

"Ohh! Ohh! Might I inquire what game we will be playing?" Starfire said with curiousity.

Raven put her hood on again, her eyes glowing intensely from her black magic as she answered darkly.

"Cat and Mouse."

"And I already know where our mouse is." Robin held out his T Communicator with a smirk now, a small red bleep moving quickly across the screen.

"Booyah!" Cyborg cheered.

"Alright Titans, lets go make X wish he stayed home this Christmas. Move out!"

The team nodded now, and the five titans jumped out the window, chasing X into the brilliantly lit skyline of downtown.

**Jump City Maximum security prison**

The storm blew worst here, and only the lights of the Prison walls were visible to the would-be observer.

It was a damn freezing night, and the guard wondered out loud why he was guarding this dump as he paced slowly back and forth in the dimly lit dank hallways.

The door he was guarding contained 'evidence', collected by the police from all the villains that the Titans ever fought. And this cold stormy night was no different from the others the experienced policeman worked on. He was pacing back and forth dutifully in front of the door, as it was the only thing that kept him sane, while thoughts of a nice Christmas break in Fiji floated in his head…

A scrapping sound was heard in the distance, and snapped out of his daydream, the guard leveled his rifle into the dark hallway.

"Whose there?" The guard shouted, then cautiously advanced, rifle drawn and ready. The scrapping sound intensified as he moved down the hallway, then it became mixed in with this soft maniacal laugh that seemed to echo through the empty halls.

"Show yourself!" The guard shouted out, and he immediately received a reply as an object was thrown at him, falling feet away from him on the floor. The guard stared at it curiously, and then it was over.

A brilliant flash of green illuminated the hallway as the guard fell to the floor, seemingly unconscious. Seconds later however, he stood up, lifeless like a robot.

"Excellent…" The dark figure twiddled his hands playfully as he walked past the guard, who followed dutifully as he passed, as if under a sort of trance.

"Ahem…." The figure looked up at the guard now, "that door seems to be a problem peon, open it."

"Yes…" The guard said in a zombie-like voice. The door opened now, and the room's lights turned on, revealing a whole stash of weaponry used by every villain, from Killer Moth to Mad Mod.

"Ah…I must have been good this year, look at all these wonderful presents. " He said triumphantly as he entered the room, his glowing eyes glared maliciously as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"I feel like a kid in a candy store."

(fade to the Prison walls, guards patrol the parameter, looking slightly bored.)

A huge explosion ripped through the prison walls now, followed by the ominous sounds of marching feet. The ground thundered as whatever did that got closer, and the guards began throwing up a road block at the hole in the wall, around twelve of them pointing their rifles in the darkness. The metallic sound of marching grew louder and louder, and each guard kept an itchy finger pressed on the trigger, wondering what horrors awaited them. Then they saw it, out the darkness and clear as day, and one of the guards thought of a wisecrack remark as they opened fire.

The British were coming.

The Redcoated British soldiers seemed as if they were plucked straight out of a history textbook, each sported a brilliant red uniform and gold lace, along with a shako and musket, the only difference of course, was that these soldiers were ten feet tall and metallic.

Mad Mod's Robots.

The guards opened fire in desperation, but they might as well have been throwing pellets at them, for the bullets bounced harmlessly off their metal chests. The guards began fleeing now.

The Prison alarm sounded, and more guards gathered to stop what was at least two dozen robots, who were marching in a straight line out of the compound, oblivious to all the gun fire the guards poured onto them. Riding on the shoulders of one of the Soldiers, was the dark figure…

"I've always knew these chaps were more appropriate for the holidays." He laughed maniacally again as the guards busted down the tall prison gates, marching on into the dark night…

** as seen in redemption.**

Thanks everyone for the encouraging reviews! Ironic though, i planned this story to be shorter than Redemption, yet it receives more Replies lol! To answer your question, yes this is a sequel to redemption, but i only make a few references to it (like all TT episodes)

Btw, people who notice fluff ;) note, i do not write fluff, just episode style :D so please don't be disappointed if there isn't enough ;) i don't write that stuff.

This story will be shorter than Redemption, i think ill be done before Christmas. Enjoy!


	4. The Mall of Shopping!

**'The Mall of Shopping' **

The doors of the Jump City Mega-mall were smoking now, blown open by Red X, who seemed to be on a Christmas Shopping Spree. The Five titans followed him in, after chasing him throughout downtown for the better part of the night.

"So…why would the Red X journey to the wonderful mall of shopping? Does he wish to procure some wonderful hair ornaments?"

Robin shook his head. "Most likely because he wants us to split up to search for him, it's a pretty big place." The Titans entered the dark hollow hallways as Robin spoke.

The mall also seemed like a scary place, especially at night. The Malls central hallway was lit by the moonlight, which filtered through the huge skylight in the roof. Although colorful Christmas decorations were put up, they were shrouded in an ominous darkness, a darkness that seemed to play on the imagination of a person. A Christmas tree branch here might look like the silhouette of an arm at first sight. Toy dolls, their faces smiling in joy, might look like sinister trolls grinning in the eerie moonlight.

"Dude, this guy has some sick twisted humor making us chase him into here….its soooo creepy, almost reminds me of one of those horror movies. " Beast Boy shuffled nervously as he walked….behind Cyborg into the building.

"My scanners aren't picking up any signs of him, maybe he's flown the coup?" Cyborg commented as his ocular implants were having trouble detecting X in such a large open space.

"Raven?" Robin asked.

"I'm sensing nothing….yet." Her eyes were closed as she floated along with the team, she was trying to use her other senses and magic to see what her eyes couldn't in the dark….

It was quiet however…..too quiet.

Then once again Beast Boy had to open his mouth.

"Maybe…he's not here?" He shrugged.

Two Giant Red Xs shot down from the ceiling, exploding right above the Titans in a blinding red flash, illuminating the hallways as bright as day.

"Titans! Scatter!" Robin shouted, taking out his Bo staff, pole vaulted out of the way as the second X, an explosive one, blasted an 'X' shaped crater in the spot where the five Titans were just standing.

"Where is he?" Cyborg shouted out, slightly annoyed that he was unable to pick that up.

A blurred image of a figure stood on the second floor now, and the team watched as X seemingly teleported to the top of the first floor escalator. "Hey Kids, How bout some early Christmas Shopping?" His voice was all cool and cocky like always.

"How bout giving us back our Presents! Do you have any idea how long I had to think before I decided what to get?!" Beast Boy shouted, shaking his fist.

Red X just chuckled. "You'll have to find them first. Or catch me……as if you can do either." He jumped off the escalator handrail now, and ran to the large Toy store that dominated the second floor.

"Let's us proceed!" Starfire said hurriedly, and she and Raven were the first to fly into the store, only seconds ahead of Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg.

The Toy Store was completely dark, although they could make out the shapes of the Toy Soldier statues that stood by the main entrance. Mountains of dolls were in one section, while a gigantic model of Santa and his Reindeer dangled from the ceiling. Although most of the lights were out, there were still a few on in the store, highlighting the various models and Christmas displays the store had put on for its customers.

Another X was shot at the Titans, only this one was from the group's left. Cyborg and BeastBoy jumped out of the way, while Raven and Starfire simply flew up. Robin backflipped to the side. The X harmlessly cut one of the giant ten foot statues into four pieces, causing a huge explosion that temporarily lit up the room.

"Where is he?" Raven muttered to himself as she flew beside Starfire. There was barely time for Starfire to reply however, for less than a second later, a dark shape moved behind her, kicking her down onto the ground with a great groan of pain.

"Star?" Raven turned, only to see another Red X going towards her face.

_Not this time _She blocked her face with both her hands, blasting the X away from her. She floated down to the ground now, and saw the dark figure standing over the temporarily dazed Starfire.

"Think you can take me on?" Red X smirked as he activated the X-shaped blades on his arms. He rushed her. Just as Raven was about to fire a bolt of energy at him however, he disappeared right in front of her eyes.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" She covered herself in a black dome shield now, remembering his last trick. There was no way he could attack now…..

The ground beneath Raven's feet was splitting, and red bursts of light were erupting from her feet, forming an X shaped hole in the floor. Raven grunted as she collapsed the dome, grabbing onto the edge of the hole and pulled herself up, just as she emerged from the hole however, she stared straight into the face of Red X.

"Is that the best you got?" He taunted her, and Raven immediately surrounded her hands with chakra, blocking each of Red X's punches and kicks, but the villain was too fast, and soon Raven saw a fist heading towards her face, and she found that she did not have the speed to block this next hit.

She closed her eyes in anticipation, but the punch never came.

Raven opened her eyes now, and saw that the fist had suddenly opened into a bright red palm that was pointed at her face. X gave a smirk.

"Boo."

He let loose an energy blast from his hands now, sending Raven slamming against the wall behind her.

"That was easy enough." Red X casually dusted his suit, then he jumped, barely avoiding Cyborg's plasma blast.

X escaped into the toy section, and the android pursued him relentlessly; Beast Boy and Robin close behind. Cyborg saw X now, standing ontop one of the giant toy soldier statues. He pointed his plasma cannon now, certain that he would hit him this time.

"Aren't you a little old for toys man?" Cyborg shot out as he charged his cannon for the blast.

"You're right, maybe I'll go for some electronics." X spread his arms now, pointing both palms to the walls beside him and shot a Red laser at the dark piles of merchandise that flanked him and Cyborg. From the Red light, Cyborg made out that the piles of store merchandise were actually a mountain of TVs and computers.

Uh oh.

The red beams filtered through the electronics, causing unnatural red cackles of electricity that sparked through the room, with Cyborg directly in the middle of it.

"AIEEEEE!" Cyborg shuddered as he shouted gibberish, the electricity throwing his circuits off. The TVs around him eventually exploded, burying him under a mountain of electronics.

Beast Boy was next up to bat, and turned into a Rhino, knocking down the Statue that X was standing on. The Villain jumped off just in time, only to receive a swift kick in the stomach from Robin, who timed the attack perfectly with Beast Boy.  
Red X grunted as he flew right into one of the displays, sending another ten-foot nutcracker statue crashing to the ground.

Beast Boy, Robin and a newly recovered Cyborg gathered now, and watched as Red X emerged from the rubble.

"I've always wondered kid," X replied sarcastically as he rubbed his battered and bruised head. "aren't you suppose to be in school this time of year?"

"I don't need lectures on how to stop criminals like you." Robin's voice was dead serious, and he took out two bird-a-rangs from his belt just as he finished the sentence.

Red X met their glares with another casual shrug.

"Maybe not kid, but you really need a lesson in lightening up. Learn how to have a little fun once in a while chuckles." He grinned, and just as Beast Boy transformed into a tiger and pounced at him, he vanished, letting Beast Boy have a face full of concrete as he slammed into the wall.

Robin and Cyborg were still scratching their heads when suddenly, X appeared behind Cyborg, a new gadget in his hand.

"I've heard you've always wanted to fly tin man, so I thought up the perfect present for you. Courtesy of Wayne Enterprises" He smirked, attaching a small jet pack onto Cyborg's back, and before the Cyborg could even reply, pressed the button on the pack, Which sent a screaming Cyborg straight up into the air, crashing through the roof and leaving a trail of smoke as well as a giant hole behind him.

Beast Boy, just recovering, shook off his concussion and changed into a Deer, charging Red X and hoping to crash into him with his Antlers.

X smiled, and shot two gigantic strips of red goo that attached themselves to the wall like a sling. Beast Boy was persistent however, and he kept charging, even though his body was caught in the red goo.

_Aw man…not my hair again! He's so gonna pay! _

Beast Boy grunted with strain as he struggled against the strength of the goo. His advance started to slow down however, as he got ever closer to Red X, the goo began stretching out like a rubber band as Beast Boy advanced, getting closer and closer to X….

Just when he was a few inches from the villain however, he simply smiled.

"Hey Rudolph, don't forget your nose." X produced a red goo ball in his hand now, and with a gentle, almost mocking flick of a finger, sent it straight at Beast Boy's face.

That did it.

"WHOA!" Beast Boy screamed fell back, the red goo swinging him back as if he were being sling-shotted. The goo held however, acting like a bungie cord, and Beast Boy found himself swinging back and forth between both ends of the room. He was already dizzy and by the time he stopped, Beast Boy's eyes were spinning and he began muttering something about cookies before finally collapsing into the puddle of Red goo.

He took out two blades now, but barely had time to use them as Robin knocked them out of his hand with his Bird-a-rangs. Starfire came to assist now, having recovered from her fall.

"Give it up X, you're not getting away." Robin shouted as he assumed his combat ready stance.

"You will return our gifts to us!" Starfire said with a slight tone of outrage.

"If you want them so bad, they're there." Red X pointed casually to the gigantic Christmas Tree that overlooked the entire store. Underneath it, in the spotlight, were five nicely wrapped gifts. "Of course, assuming you can get past me."

He activated his blades again, each red blade on his wrist began whirring like a sawblade, it was a sickening sound.

Starfire was the first to attack, charging him with a barrage of Starbolts and Laser eyes. Robin threw a packet of ball bearing like bombs at the villain.

Red X simply backflipped away from Starfire's blasts, and phasing away from Robin's explosives. The store began rocking violently from the series of explosions as the two titans fought their hardest to bring the villain down.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the Store, where no one was watching, the dark figure spied the five presents that were under the spotlight with intense interest. He also saw the fight at hand, and the room was lit in bright green one second, then in red, then in orange from the three fighters, as explosions and lasers stabbed through the darkness.

"This is going to be easier than I thought…" The villain chuckled sinisterly, then he began moving towards the presents……

"Give it up X!" Robin said icily as he held his Bo staff against Red X's throat. Starfire was beside the boy wonder, her eyes glowing fiercely in green and both her hands were charged, ready to put the _coup de grace _on this villain.

X was trapped, and he knew it, cornered against the wall like a rat, there was no way he could get out, no possible way. Or at least that was what Robin was thinking, until X starting chuckling.  
"What…may I ask, is so humorous?" Starfire asked

"You'll never catch me kids, these weapons are designed specifically to beat you."

"I beg to differ X." Robin grinned, the bo staff already pinning Red X's mask against the wall.

"Oh really? I think not." Another smirk.

Robin was taken aback now…just what was he planning?

Then it became obvious. It began lightly at first, but then suddenly got louder as it got nearer.

Cyborg's scream.

The android crashed through the roof now, making yet another hole, but this time above Robin and Starfire. The dizzy Android was unable to move, his little Rocket ride taking most of his sense out of him. While underneath him and the mountain of rubble, Robin and Starfire were still dazed from the suddenly collapse of the roof, although Starfire's strength saved them from being crushed.

"Smooth kid, real smooth." Red X gave his customary salute, then jumped out to the hole Cyborg just made in the roof.

"Get back here!" Robin shouted as he pulled himself from the rubble,

"Catch ya later kid." X smirked, then disappeared, leaving five slightly dazed and confused titans to recover in the store….

----------------------

"Aw man!" Cyborg cried out in frustration. "I cannot believe he did what he just did!" He was still angry over the whole jetpack incident, and how he still couldn't get the ringing out of his head. With a sigh, he sat down on the couch with the rest of the Titans, who were just a sore from their last encounter with the villain.

"So…what did he give you?" Cyborg said with an aching groan as he messaged his sore head.

"A red bleeding nose." Beast Boy said in a muffled voice, as if he were having a cold. He was in an angry mood, and the ice pack that he held against his nose did nothing to cheer him up.

Raven couldn't speak, since her mouth was tied up nicely by a red X…AGAIN. Robin meanwhile, brooded by himself on the other end of the couch. Once again, he was feeling guilty since he still (amazingly!) thought the whole thing was his responsibility.

"Do not despair my friends!" Starfire said cheerfully. "We shall catch him another day!"

The gloomy atmosphere remained, and the four other titans sat quietly down on the couch. Then an idea hit Starfire.

"I know! Since it is past midnight, and is already the eve of your Christmas, let us open our presents! That will cheer us up!"

The presents, at least, were recovered from Red X, the one thing that compensated for a whole night of failure.

"You know Star, Thad might actually bee a Gud Idea." Beast Boy said excitedly, his nose still bruised and stuff. The rest of the Titans nodded in agreement, and they got up to open their presents. To the joy of Star, the atmosphere that the Titans had a few hours ago was slowly returning.

"Oh OH! Let me open mine first! I am most curious to see what Robin gave me." Starfire zipped past the four titans now, and she held up her present with avid curiousity as the other titans gathered around the tree, each picking up their presents.

"I wonder who this came from." Starfire said innocently, although deep down she already knew when Robin gave a slight blush on his cheek. She began peeling the wrapping off delicately, savouring this moment. The other titans picked up their present.

Starfire's eyes lit up as she saw what was in the box.

"Oh! I received a cute little animal friend." Starfire said as she opened the present, hugging the teddy bear affectionately. The other titans gave her a dumbfounded look.

"Um Star…" Robin was the first to speak out.

"Yes? Robin? Was it you? Oh thank you Robin!" She flew to hug him, and he stuttered as she shook him violently in her insanely strong embrace.

"Staaar…..th…thanks…buuu..t…it….issssn't…mine!" Robin shouted.

Starfire stopped hugging Robin now, and she peered curiously into the box one more time, flipping it upside down to see what other contents were within.

A familiar object fell out of the box, making a sharp metallic clinking sound as it fell onto the ground. It was one of Red X's red ninja stars.

"That thief! He switched presents on us!" Robin's face lit up with pure rage as he realized what had just happened.

"What about our other presents?" Beast Boy said with concern. "Did he switch them too?"

"Only one way to find out." Cyborg said dutifully, as the four titans tore the wrapping viciously off their presents.

The presents were switched all right, and Raven, Robin, Cyborg and BeastBoy stared with amazement as they saw what they received.

Wooden puppet replicas of themselves.

"This can't be…" Raven began. "Quick! Throw-"

It was different this time. Before they even had time to throw the boxes to the ground, the spell took effect. It took affect the second they stared into the doll's cold lifeless eyes. Soon Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Robin's eyes turned blank, then green as a stream of pure magic shrouded their bodies, encasing their souls within the puppets.

"Aw nooo. Not again" Beast Boy said as he lay helpless on the floor, unable to move. The four Titans' bodies meanwhile, their eyes glowing bright with green, stared darkly at Starfire, as if ready to attack.

A maniacal laugh echoed through Titans Tower now, and one of the Presents beside the four puppets began to jiggle violently. Starfire watched with horror as the large gift bursted open, revealing the sinister figure as he emerged from the beautiful wrapping. The deranged eyes, the insane cackle, his eerie crown and soldier's uniform that had given her nightmares the first time she saw him.

"Ohh..but this time you will stay puppets longer…much longer." The Puppet King laugh maniacally as he dangled the four titans in his hands.

"And this time deary." He turned menacingly to Starfire, "You too, will become part of my collection…." He began cackling insanely now, the eerie laughs echoing into the dark Christmas night….


	5. The Return of the King

**The Return of the King**

The Puppet king gave another insidious laugh as he stepped out of the box. He was flanked by the zombified bodies of Robin, Cyborg, Beastboy and Raven.

"It seems I snagged an extra Titan this year….excellent." He stared with a grin at Raven, who now lay prostrate on the floor in her doll body.

Raven, even though her body was gone, did not give in easily to intimidation. _"Give it up psycho, you'll never be able to use my powers."_ She said in defiance.

The puppet king merely grinned "Maybe not my pretty, but I can at least drain the Magical essence out of you, and use it for my own means. As for you three…." He eyed Cyborg, Robin and Beast Boy's now zombified bodies.

"Capture her." He gestured to Starfire. "While I collect my toys."

_"Get back! No!" _Cyborg shouted helplessly as Puppet King picked him up, putting him on his belt beside Raven, Beast Boy was next.

"Don't worry my pets….you will be taken care of much better this time." He said as he picked up Beast Boy.

_"Starfire! Run!"_

Starfire stood right where she was, unsure what to do. Raven's body just stood there, unmoving, while the three boys menacingly approached her. The Zombified Cyborg converted his arm into his sonic cannon now, and charged it as he walked. Beast Boy transformed into a Velociraptor, snarling ferociously as he approached Starfire.

Star charged her hands again, wondering what she should do this time…without Raven's guidance.

"Attack. My puppets!" Puppet King, growing impatient, snapped out. He also took this time to pick up Robin's puppet body.

_"Move star! Move!" _The puppet cried out passionately.

Robin's controlled body attacked first, performing a jump kick that Starfire nervously avoided. She powered down her hands now, not wanting to hurt any of her friends.

Beast Boy growled, and he pounced, attempting to dig his claws into Star's shoulders as if he planned to bite her head off with his sharp teeth.

Starfire flew up towards the ceiling now, and Beast Boy's body transformed into a Pterodactyl, chasing her relentlessly. At this point, Cyborg fired his cannon, trailing Starfire's flight path as well as blasting a nice long hole in the wall as he traced her path.

_"Star!" _Cyborg's doll called out _"You have to fight back!" _

Starfire closed her eyes in refusal as she evaded even more of Cyborgs attacks.

"I cannot! You are my friends!"

_"Remember Starfire! It isn't us! It's Puppet King's control, you have to stop us! _Raven shouted right before Puppet King shoved her into a small sack.

"Be quiet you pest." He said with an agitated tone.

Starfire's eyes lit up in green now, and she reluctantly fought back. Beast Boy's body was sent flying into the TV as her beam struck home.

_"That's gonna leave a mark…" _Beast Boy commented as he was stuffed into the sack, as if anticipating the pain he would feel if he were in his own body.

Starfire landed now, and skillfully sidestepped out of anther one of Cyborg's cannon blasts. Charging both her hands with green aura, she rushed the Android.

"Forgive me Cyborg." Star whispered as she dove into a flying charge, swiftly avoiding another blast from Cyborg. She shot her Starbolts now, and Cyborg stumbled backwards from the blasts, arching his back and falling as Star pummeled his face with her fists. Cyborg misfired as he fell, sending a section of the ceiling falling down, covering the room in dust and smoke.

The puppet King was still by the Christmas tree, and Starfire wasted no time in using the dust from the rubble to rush the sinister villain.

She flew right through the smoke, straight for the bright lights of the Christmas tree, the small wooden figure who stood cackling as he watched her approach.

Then she stopped…..because Robin was standing there.

The Boy Wonder stared blankly at Star, and quickly took out two bird-a-rangs to throw at her.

"Robin…please…" Starfire cried out in an impassioned plea. She charged her palms with energy.

_"Do what you have to do Star! Remember! It's not me!" _Robin, the last puppet in Puppet King's hands, shouted.

"I should quiet this little doll up once and for all." Puppet King said darkly, and prepared to Stuff the helpless doll in his sack.

That snapped Starfire out of her trance. "NO!" Her eyes lit up, and Robin's body was sent flying against the Christmas tree, knocking it over as she threw everything she had at him, eye beams, palm blasts, and the works. Starfire flew straight at the puppet king.

The villain, cackling still, took out a seemingly harmless watergun and shot it at Starfire.

Starfire swerved out of the way, and she turned around to look over her shoulder, and saw that the mysterious liquid from the water gun had burnt a gigantic smoking hole in the floor…. Acid.

"I'm going to ask you to let my friends go." Starfire shouted as she dodged even more of Puppet King's acid shots.

The villain laughed insanely. "They'll be 'let go' soon enough deary, but not before I am through with them." Cyborg went behind puppet king now, firing another sonic cannon blast at the Tamaranian with his puppet master.

Starfire dodged the acid blast, and quickly cancelled out the sonic cannon with her own starbolts. The collision of the two beams resulted in a gigantic explosion, which engulfed half the room in a blinding flash.

The Puppet King recoiled from the flash, and did not even see Starfire as she swerved right at him and snatched Robin and the sack out of his hand.

"Stop her!" he shouted to the three zombified Titans. Robin threw all his explosives at Star, while Cyborg locked on with his laser cannon and let out a full blast.

Starfire grunted with pain as Robin's explosives detatonated around her, sending chunks of rock and rubble flying at her, scratching her arm and blinding her, making her easy prey for the Sonic cannon.

Starfire was hit dead on, and she dropped the sack, which landed with a thud on the living room floor.

_"Ow! I didn't know puppets could feel" _Beast Boy's puppet complained in the sack.

_"Quiet B, and get your face off of mine!" _Cyborg shouted.

_"Dude, its dark in this Sack, how do you know its my face.." _

_"Quiet you two…" _Raven said seriously, _"Starfire! Are you ok? Where are you? _

Starfire was not ok however, she fell out of the window, knocked out from the Blast. Falling with her, was also Robin's doll. The two disappeared as they splashed in the cold icy sea.

"Well…it seems I'll be lacking a body for the ritual." Puppet King commented as he watched the helpless Titan fall from the Tower. "It does not matter anyway…" He turned darkly towards the sack, where Beast Boy and Cyborg were screaming for help.

"I have enough sacrifices here…..for my glorious return…"


	6. All I want for Christmas

**Part 4: All I want for Christmas…..**

Starfire groaned weakly as she opened her eyes… it felt as if someone had pounded her head with a sledgehammer.

_"Starfire!" _A voice came from somewhere…in the darkness, and Starfire found her mind drifting into the night sky, across the vast blanket of beautiful stars……

_"Star!" _Robin's puppet was clinging onto the rocks now, the waves menacingly sweeping the beach. Robin's body was thrown around like (well he is.) a rag doll, and the next wave caught the boy wonder in its wake, and Robin began drifting out towards the sea….

"Robin!" Starfire was awake now, and she brushed the sand off herself before running across the beach, diving for the doll just as the next wave crashed upon the surf.

She emerged from the white foamy water, and thankfully, had Robin's doll clasped firmly in her hands.

_"Thanks Star…that was close." _

"Robin, whatever shall we do? Our friends are in danger…" Starfire said with a tone of helplessness.

_"He's probably going to try to make the switch permanent again, we have to stop him." _

"I do not think that even I can take all four of our team on…." Starfire replied concernedly…

_"We have no time Star, you'll have to try your best….use me as bait!" _

Starfire shook her head vigorously. "no Robin! I can't! It's not…..right!"

_"There's no other way! _Robin was dead set on it, and if he could move his head, he would be shaking it right now.

Starfire closed her eyes now….thinking long and hard. No, there was a better way.

"I know what we can do Robin." She opened her eyes now, flying into the sky, Robin still in her hand.

_"No…you don't mean…"_

She hated to think it, but at this point there was only one person she could think of going to, and although it made her stomach turn, she had no choice, she wanted answers and now with her friends in danger, she was determined to get them…

**Jump City Mega-mall. The toy store**

Eerie blue flames illuminated the store, cackling wildly as the four Titan's entered the room.

Aside from the Christmas tree, the toy store was dominated by a mountain of presents, which were flanked by toy dolls and soldiers. On top of this mountain, was a tiny display of Christmas trees, as well as a small little toy throne.

In front of the toy throne, were the dolls of Raven, Cyborg and BeastBoy, dangling helplessly from the roof.

"Ah Christmas, my favourite season of the year." The Puppet King began in his creepy droning voice., pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, while the three titans tried to struggle their way out of the strings.

_"Can't…move" _Cyborg yelled.

"Of course you can't…you should remember what happened last time." The Puppet king said reprovingly.

_"Just what are you planning?" _Raven asked hostility, watching as her own body was being chained to the wall beneath her. She watched uneasily as the blue flames from the cauldron in the middle wrapped itself around her…slowly draining the black magic out of her body.

"Christmas is the time of giving my little peons." Puppet King reached out now, and grabbed the three Titans in his hands. He walked to the edge of the platform now. "And you know what that means…"

He waved a hand into the darkness, and as if on cue, the toy store lit up, revealing a huge sea of dolls and toys.

"There will be dolls in every home. In every living room…..for every child and family in this city. Just imagine it, thousands of souls…just waiting to be stolen." He laughed maniacally.

_"But why us again? Why are you taking my precious body!! It's my favourite one!" _Beast Boy shouted impatiently.

"I am glad you asked, for you see, I was never a puppet. I, like your purple-cloaked friend here, am a demon, merely encased in this pathetic body. However, with the sacrifice of your bodies…I can finally have enough energy to break the seal that binds me." He cackled immensely, anticipating the thought with joy.

_"You'll never get away with it" _Raven said contemptuously _"Starfire will stop you." _

"Not this time….not only do I have your bodies to assist me, but I brought along some friends." Puppet King thrusted the three titans over the edge now, overlooking over a dozen of mad mod's robot soldiers busily piling the presents for shipment.

He laughed triumphantly now, in a few days, every soul in the city would be his….and he would finally be able to reveal his true form.

"Besides," He dangled Raven menacingly in front of his face, staring into her eyes. "She had your help last time pretty girl, who else can possibly save you now?"

**-----------**

It was snowing now…more than ever. The sinister dark buildings of the city were suddenly obscured, and the only thing visible to even the most oblivious pedestrian on the streets was the wonderful symphony of light and color that seemingly floated on the buildings and above the streets.

It was technically Christmas. Past midnight, but the presents would not be opened until morning. Instead, the children of the orphanage gathered around the main hall. Pudding was passed around, while families entered, letting their children mix in with the orphans, as well as handing out presents to those who were too ill to spent Christmas outside their beds. All in all, it was a joyous, magical night, as if it were a small world encased in a soft box of snow and ice.

Red X scoffed as he watched the scene…leaning against a wall atop a warehouse, his arms crossed with a casual flair. The scene brought memories…bad memories. Memories he wanted to get out of his head.

He had used to look forward to Christmas, a time of celebration, of joy……of family. But that already seemed like it was lost in the past…….so distant.

The kids were lucky and probably did not know it, they had heating, warm food…people to take care of them at least….he couldn't remember the last time he felt like that…had a family. He never even knew what it was like to have friends, spending most of his youth as a street kid, stealing just to survive.

Friends, who needs em…in the end, it all comes down to number one. Yourself.

He didn't know why he was even watching this scene. In this world, you had to be tough, to do whatever it takes to get what you want, to be somebody. The world was a tough, dark and dirty place, and he bet the orphans in this scene wouldn't last a second out on their own. They were all the same….weak and pathetic.

But still, there was something about it…that reminded him of the good times; the memories that would never perish even with the passage of time.

So he stood there…and watched.

There was a sound behind him, the quick shuffle of feet that scurried across the snow covered roof.

X heard the sound, but didn't see it, not in this raging storm, and he turned to his right, where the sound originated, and saw…..

Nothing.

"Must've been my imagination." He shrugged, then went back to leaning against the wall when a finger tapped his left shoulder…

He turned, and was met by a punch in the face. But this was no ordinary punch, it was the hardest punch he had ever felt, and it sent him reeling back, flying down onto the floor and crashing through the warehouse skylight.

X grunted as he tumbled down onto the warehouse floor, bringing down a mountain of crates as he touched ground. A cloud of dust was thrown up from his landing.

Red X widened his eyes in amazement. _Who the heck packs a wallop like that? _He quickly got his answer.

Starfire floated down quietly from the ceiling now, both her palms blazing wildly with green fire.

X rubbed his aching head, and gave her an amused look

"What? Did I wrap it in the wrong color?" 


	7. All the King's Horses and All the King's...

**All the King's horses and all the King's men.....**

Red X snapped out of his concussion now, and already produced two X blades in his hands, each one glinting menacingly in the moonlit room.

"Today must be my lucky day cutie, I never thought I'd tango with just you."

Starfire however, had other things in mind and a bewildered Red X watched with curiosity as she powered down, landing right in front of him.

"Couldn't do it alone? Thought so." Red X said slyly as he retracted his blades into his wrists.

Stafire however, had an unusually serious look on her face.

"What have you done with my friends? And why are you allied with the Puppet King?"

Red X gave an amused look. "Puppet who? Did I hit you on the head too hard or something?"

_This is serious X._ a voice came from somewhere.

"Who said that?!" Red X took a step back, taking out his red ninja stars as Starfire revealed the speaker. She reached for the Robin doll that was tied to her waist, holding it up for X to see.

"Kid?" Red X said in amazement

_"Why are you working with the puppet King."_ The puppet asked.

Red X stood there, motionless for a second, but then suddenly he broke out into a huge uproar of laughter. He clenched his stomach as if it was in pain and almost fell over laughing. He barely managed to squeeze in the next few lines.

"Ya know kid," X gave a satisfying grin. "Out of all the things I've seen, this has made my night. There must be a Santa because this is the best Present I could ever ask for."

"This is a serious situation." Starfire said in as friendly a voice as she could, slightly offended. She tried hard to resist punching him again.

"Look, its obvious you and doll-boy have some issues to work out, but as for me, I work alone. I don't know who this puppet guy is and I don't care, I'm a lone wolf, that's my style."

"Did you not replace our presents?" Starfire asked.

Red X gave a shrug. "Only yours, don't worry, I have bird boy's present if you want it. Was gonna return it in time for Thanksgiving." He smirked.

"That is not why I am here." Starfire replied.

"Then what do you want?" Red X said impatiently.

Before X could reply however, a gigantic explosions tore into the warehouse, making Starfire jump up in surprise. The front double doors were blown open; scattering jagged pieces of metal all over the warehouse, some even digging into the walls. Through the dust, X could make out three pairs of green, glowing eyes....

That didn't concern him now however, for he just noticed that Starfire had jumped into his arms.

He was carrying her.

The Tamaranian, realizing what she had done, began assuming an outraged tone, although she did manage to say it politely. "Ahem, you may put me down now."  
_  
"Yea Put her down!"_ The Robin puppet shouted furiously

"Whatever you say." X dropped her on the ground now, and jumped straight into the air, Both narrowly avoiding Cyborg's plasma beam as it was shot straight in between them.

"Came back for more?" X grinned as he saw the silhouettes of Cyborg, Robin and BeastBoy appear through the smoke.

"Please! Do not hurt my friends, it is not their doing." Starfire asked as took her place beside Red X as he took out his X-shaped blades. Robin was already strapped onto Star's belt, tagging along for the ride.

"Whatever." X managed to say just as the two dodged a sonic blast from Cyborg. This was no time for talk now. For the Christmas Eve battle had just begun.

**------------------**

Starfire flew in the air, attempting to hit Beast Boy with a barrage of Starbolts, but the puppet was proving very adapt at using Beast Boy's powers, transforming into an agile eagle, a swift falcon and a small hummingbird to avoid every blast. While this was happening, X took on Cyborg and Robin, who resorted to close quarters combat.

Red X gave an amused laugh as he easily dodged the zombie titans' clumsy attacks.

"I gotta say kid, at least this one fights better than you." X shouted at the real Robin as he mockingly dodged a clumsy punch from the zombified Robin.

_"Hey hey! Careful with the body! _Robin shouted from Starfire's belt as he watched X pummel the zombified Robin with a series of punches and kicks, while Cyborg was easily taken care of by an electrified Red X that was plastered onto his chest. That wasn't his only concern though, Robin was starting to feel sick, as Starfire swerved around the building, attempting to dodge Beast Boy's attacks.

The changeling decided to go on the offensive now, and just as he swooped down on Starfire as a falcon, he transformed into a Velociraptor, threatening to dig his sharp talons and teeth into the young Tamaranian.

Starfire flew out of the way, leaving Beast Boy to chew on nothing but a wooden box.

"I'm so sorry." She closed her eyes as she buried Beast Boy under a barrage of green starbolts. The pile of boxes that Beast Boy landed on quickly collapsed, burying him under a mountain of wood and wreckage.

Red X meanwhile, was having a blast with the zombie Robin. He swiftly avoided a bo staff lunge from the titan, then teleported behind him and wrapped Robin's face up with his own cape, sealing it in synothium synthesized rope. To finish it off, he even stuck Robin's feet onto the ground with red goo, leaving a confused zombified robin struggling to get out of his own cape while trying not to trip on his own two feet.

_"Is that really necessary X?" _Robin spoke in an irritated tone as Starfire landed right next to him.

"You didn't want me to hurt your friends right? Well, look, they're perfectly fine." X happily pointed to a zombified Cyborg who was still smoking from the electric shocks.

X yawned now, casually cracking his knuckles as if that little skirmish had been comparable to a stroll in the park.

An entire section of the wall exploded next to them now, revealing around ten gigantic red-coated Robots.

"How nice, more company." Red X commented slyly as the towering figures approached in their ominous giant steps, each one leveling their muskets…..

"How is the Mad-mod here?" Starfire asked.

_"I don't think its mod." _Puppet Robin replied.

Starfire and Red X prepared to dodge the inevitable attack now, but the Robots were faster. Tongues of flame lashed out from each musket as they unloaded their volley at their targets. Red X was thrown back with a big grunt as two shells exploded near him, Starfire was soon to follow.

_"We got to get out of here!" _Robin shouted as even more explosives rocked the pile of crates they were hiding behind. Another section of the wall exploded next to them, revealing even more robots.

"I hate to say it, but even I think Bird-boy is right." X crossed his arms again, then suddenly produced two red glowing bo-staffs that retracted out into the shape of an 'X'

_"I don't remember giving you that."_ Robin said, slightly annoyed.

X grinned, "I've been doing some Christmas shopping kid, just for you. Five finger discount."

"What do we-" Starfire asked, then was cut off as Red X dashed out into the open, abandoning the two titans.

"Why that zarbnarf!"

Starfire barely had time to do anything else though, for more Robots emerged from behind her. Instinctively, she flew out to where Red X ran.

X meanwhile, tried to clear a path. He ran up to the robot with his synothium charged bo staff and quickly sliced the first one in half, while another got off with one less arm. Both exploded shortly afterwards.

"Wait for us!" Starfire pleaded as she flew after the thief.

"If you can keep up." X said indifferently as he dodged another Robot's punch, using his bo staff to pole vault over another's shoulder.

Starfire tried her best, even charging her palms and flying straight through one of the Robot's, digging a clean hole through it's chest.

The two eventually reached the hole in the wall, but in their way stood about six more Robot's, while Robin, Cyborg and Beast boy, not to mention even more robots, were emerging from the warehouse behind them.

"Oh…what are we going to do?" Starfire said concernedly as the Robots and the three titans surrounded them.

"This " Red X produced a circular gadget in his hand. "Swiped it from laughing boy over there." He was referring to Robin, "close your eyes."

X threw it in the air now, where the device detonated, bathing the whole warehouse in blinding white light.

Starfire was blinded as well, but X grabbed her wrist, urging her to flee. The two eventually disappeared onto the rooftops of a nearby warehouse, where they escaped for now…..

"That was…close." Starfire managed to catch her breath as she and Red X stopped on the rooftop of a warehouse several blocks away. "I must express my deepest gratitude for assisting us."

"I know a good way you can show your gratitude cutie-" Red X smirked.

"Oh no!" Starfire said, in sudden realization.

"What?" X replied.

"Robin is gone!" Stafire checked all over, in every pocket, but Robin's doll was gone.

**Back at the warehouse.**

_"Starfire…..heellp." _Robin shouted helplessly as the Robots and Zombie titans gathered around him, making way for a small figure to approach them.

"Ah….excellent." The Puppet king gave a small cackle of satisfaction as he picked a protesting Robin up.

"four down….one to go." 


	8. I Work Alone

The Puppet king grinned as he stuffed Robin into the sack, all the while surveying the smoking warehouse with interesting. Many Robots were destroyed in the battle, and there was this new figure….who was he?

"It seems that the girl has found a friend…." He said to no one in particular. It was a shame that he did not prepare a doll for him as well, but no matter.

The Puppet King turned to the three zombified titans, who stood, awaiting for orders.

"Find and destroy that pest….but Bring the girl to me."

The three blank green eyes nodded in the shadows, and disappeared…..

**---------**

"Robin is gone!" Starfire was frantically searching everywhere on her, in a vain attempt to locate the doll-sized boy wonder, but it was all in vain.

"Calm down cutie." Red X replied, he put his two bo staffs away now, twirling them in his hands and into his belt like a sheriff would do with his gun in the wild west. "Bird Boy can handle himself." He said smoothly, but watched starfire with surprise as she sat on the edge of the roof, her head bowed down hopelessly. Her friends were all in danger, and she wasn't able to help them….Red X walked quietly towards her.

"I am…as the earthlings say…down in the trash disposal facility." Starfire said gloomily.

"You mean the dumps. Right cutie?" Red X gave an amused reply as he stood behind her.

Starfire ignored the correction however, she stood up now, facing Red X with a glowing determination in her eyes. Even if it appeared hopeless, she would try anyway, to save her friends…..to save…..

"The king of puppets will destroy my friends, I am sure of it, you must assist me!" Starfire said with haste as she floated.

Red X scoffed. "When did I ever agree to do this cutie? Why should I help?"

"Because it is because of you that all this is happening!" Starfire shouted angrily, perhaps even more than she intended, taking Red X aback.

He quickly regained his posture.

"Look cutie, it was your friends' faults that they managed to get caught by that midget in the first place, I don't see how this concerns me."

"You took our presents of Christmas." Starfire shot back.

"It was only for fun." X shrugged.

"And now, because of that, my friends are in danger!"

"Not my problem." He turned away now, about to walk away. Starfire however, was in no mood to take no for an answer.

She flew furiously in front of him, stopping right in front of him and charging two starbolts in front of X.

"You will help my friends." She almost shouted.

"And if I don't cutie? How about this? I help you, but you have to do a favour for me…" X was amused, and already he was ready to take out his X-shaped blades. If she refused, he would tie her to the chimney with his synothium goo, or maybe blind her and escape? Better yet….

There was no time to reply, as an explosion erupted through the roof, creating a blinding flash between the two. Starfire, avoiding a sonic blast, flew behind X.

Through the smoke, Red X saw the three silhouettes of Cyborg, Robin and Beast Boy.

"You guys don't give up do you?" X retracted his blades, while Starfire was charging her eyes.

"Well cutie, looks like we have to settle this lat-" He looked over his shoulder, and opened his eyes in amazement, the green light was there….but she was far away, flying off into the sky.

"She ditched me!!" X said in outrage "I'm the only one who's supposed to do that!!"

His attention was quickly focused back on his three agressors, and soon, the rooftop lit up in a series of explosions which rocked through the dark snowy night…..

**Back at the Toy Store**

The blue fiery cauldron in the middle of the hall was burning more violently than ever. Blue magical flames jumped at least twenty feet in the air, illuminating the room in an eerie dark blue…..

The ceremony was almost complete, soon there would be enough energy to begin the ritual…..

The four titans, Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg, and Robin lay dangling from the ceiling, one above the other on one string. Beast Boy was the lowest one, while Raven was a few feet above him, Cyborg and Robin followed afterwards. Beast Boy was screaming now, not because he was afraid of heights, but because below him was the gigantic blue cauldron of flame.

_"Dude! He's going to try to burn us again!"_ Beast Boy

_"And I thought Robin was the detective."_ Raven replied dryly, dangling helplessly above the green titan. She watched with worry as the blue flames sucked more black magic from her body, shrouding Raven's body in a dark blueish color as they wrapped around her…

_"This is NOT cool man!" _Cyborg shouted nervously.

"Far from it Titans." The Puppet king cackled, resuming his place at the throne overlooking the flames. "It will be anything but 'cool' for you."

_"Your jokes are about as bad as Beast Boy's" _Raven commented.

_"Hey! Take that back! You love my jokes!" _Beast Boy shot back.

"Enough!" The Puppet king shouted, his voice echoeing through the empty chambers of the mall.

"Soon, your pretty little friend will join us, and then I will not only keep your bodies for eternity, but I will soon have a whole city of souls at my bidding."

_"You won't get away with this! Starfire will stop you!" _

"Which is precisely why I'm going to take care of you first." The puppet king shot Robin a dark glare, then he reached for the lever that would send the four Titans hurling down into their fiery deaths.

_"Stop!" _Cyborg shouted out.

_"Noooo…."_ Beast Boy cried weakly.

"Oh yes, for you see, the Puppet King is always in control here, and I say…it ends NOW!"

A barrage of starbolts exploded on the skylight, scattering it into a million pieces. The puppet King backed away now, avoiding the rain of sharp glass that followed the explosion. Along with the glass, came a howling tempest of snow and wind that entered the building, blowing out all the candles that the Puppet king had set up beside his throne…

"You will leave my friends alone!" Starfire shouted, flying straight through the skylight and floating right in front of the Puppet King, who was still lying on the ground dazed from the blast.

"Well…Well…" The Puppet King smirked maniacally. "Look who decided to drop by…"

-------

Thanks everyone for the great replies ;) although i know i can't please everyone D i try. Also in answer to one particularquestion, I threw puppet king in because he's a toy ;) and its Christmas (the season of toys!) and he barely appears in the show, so I'd thought he'd make a perfect villain. Should there be another more intricate or 'logical' reason? If you want to know how he came back, i have a more intricate plot to explain, but that would require a third story :D so lets keep this simple. Besides, does the TT show explain how other supposedly defeated villains come back? ;)


	9. An Unlikely Ally

"FIRE!" The puppet king jumped up and raised of his arms up in a mocking pose, one of the disadvantages of being a puppet.

Twelve robotic soldiers at the base of the throne raised their rifles now, clicking them before letting loose a barrage of bombs that sent the rest of the skylight shattering to the ground.

Starfire evaded the shots, swerving left and right and firing her own Star bolts at the soldiers. The robots disappeared into a green flash as the entire base of the mountain of presents exploded, obscuring it in smoke.

_"Yay!"_ Beast Boy's doll shouted in jubilation. _"You go star!" _

_"BOO YAH!" _

"Do not fear my friends, for I shall get you out." Starfire powered down her eyes now, and flew straight for the four puppets dangling from the ceiling.

Five rifle shots bursted through the smoke, and one of them had hit Starfire, sending her reeling back in shock.

_"Star!" _Robin shouted helplessly.

The smoke lifted now, revealing twelve Robots standing in front of Star with leveled muskets. None of them had a scratch on them.

Ok…if starbolts won't work, then….

Starfire dove down towards the soldiers now, like a hawk diving to earth to catch its prey. Her eyes were charging up, along with her body, and soon she was shrouded in a shell of green aura.

The soldiers fired, but their bullets exploded harmlessly on Starfire's barrier. The Tamarian screamed with righteous fury () as she plowed right through the first robot like a hot knife through butter. The Robot, unaware of the huge gaping hole in his chest, tried to turn to catch Starfire, but soon froze from the damage, then exploded into a million pieces.

Before the other robots could scan for her presence, Starfire was already swooping in for the next attack. She converted her entire shield into one concentrated beam now, and flanking the line of Robots she fired at their heads.

The beam sliced through about three Robots' heads, since they were all standing in a straight line, and their lifeless bodies fell over like a line of dominoes, one after another.

There were still about a dozen robots left however, and they charged starfire now, each of their rifles now tipped with menacing bayonets, which glinted in the blue light of the Puppet King's cauldron.

Starfire wasted no time and charged, hoping to punch one of the Robots and swerve up to the ceiling to avoid them.

The Robots broke into a run now, their bayonet swords all pointed towards Starfire.

Right before they impacted however, every Robot, instead of using their bayonet, fired their rifle, sending a surprised starfire smashing against the wall.

Starfire groaned, and watched in frustration as the Ten foot automatons resumed their monotonous march with the precision of a parade, walking slowly toward her with their guns drawn.

The Tamaranian was scared, but she knew she had to be brave…if not for herself then for her friends. She charged both her hands now, and a whirling aura of green energy began surrounding her, sending gigantic swirls of dust and smoke into the air. Her entire body was glowing green.

The robot soldiers paid no heed, and they continued marching on. Then starfire attacked.

One gigantic Starbolt was hurled right into the middle of the Robot line, resulting in the largest explosion to date. Robots were thrown right into the air like rag dolls, while the rest of the troops were sent reeling to the ground or into the walls from the sheer force of the blast.

The room was quiet now, and nothing stirred in the gigantic smoking crater that Starfire had blown into the room…..

She exerted too much power however, and soon she dropped down to her knees, taking the time to recover.

Then…..there was a laugh in the distance. The Puppet King.

Before starfire could even more, a sonic blast pierced right through the smoke, sending the exhausted starfire back with a grunt.

It was finished….

Starfire awoke with a start, hearing a series of screams echoeing through the grimly lit mall. It felt like someone was pounding her brain with a jackhammer and she groaned as she tried to get her bearings…  
She was chained against the wall, but…she was still in her body.

"Finally awake I see." The Puppet king said sinisterly as he walked towards her, although she was chained to the wall, the mountain of presents was right next to her, so Starfire had to look up before she could see the villain's deranged face.

Starfire struggled with the chains that bounded her to the wall, and she watched in surprise as the Robots stood on guard beside her. How did they……she remembered now….the blast that knocked her out.

"How did you…." Starfire began.

"Oh it wasn't me." The puppet king gave a deathly grin. "Thank my puppets for lending me a hand." The puppet king waved his hand at the Cyborg, Beast Boy and Robin, who stood obediently next to Raven's chained body.

Starfire opened her eyes in surprise. "But….the Red X, how did…."

"He ran away deary, I guess he wasn't really your friend after all." The puppet King replied smugly.

"He is not my friend." Starfire shot back.

"No matter…..i kept you in your body my dear….because you have caused me the most trouble. And as I result, I will let you experience it first hand, as I sacrifice your body, and the body of my puppets in my ritual."

_"Star….fire!" _Robin shouted weakly from somewhere. The Puppet King smirked as he held the four titan's out in his hands. Starfire watched in horror as the ceremonial cauldron in the middle was moved to the base of the mountain, beneath the Puppet King's toy throne.

"But first….I will destroy your precious friends." The puppet king laughed, holding the four titan puppets over the edge, dangling precariously over the flames.

"Please! Let my friends go!" Starfire pleaded

"Oh I will my dear, I will. I will be enjoying this especially. Soon your friends' Screams shall fill these darkened rooms with anguished cries of mercy, and you shall see their fate first hand and cower at the might of the Puppet King!"

_"noooo…..stop…" _Was all cyborg and Beast Boy could say.

"Goodbye Titans….and thank you for the bodies."

A flash appeared from the ceiling now, and the puppet king was thrown back in pain as two red blades appeared out of nowhere, digging into his wooden shoulders. He fell down, dropping the Titan puppets harmlessly onto the floor.

"Who dares interfere with the Puppet king?!" He demanded contemptuously.

Red X smirked, appearing on the santa display that hung from the ceiling in front of the mountain of Presents.

"Geez, And I thought Bird boy was the only one who needed to lighten up……" 


	10. A Red Xmas Eve

**A Merry X-Mas to all..... **

"So, what is a pint sized midget like you doing with these kids?" X said smoothly as he looked down on the small puppet from his viewpoint on the Santa display.

"No one insults me!." The little toy shook his fist in anger, glaring at Red X menacingly.

"You talk big for a little toy." X yawned, casually leaning against the side of the display. He cracked his knuckles. "and I bet you're just as breakable."

"I am no mere toy….I am the puppet king, and YOU will learn to fear me." He growled, then took his puppet controller out of his toy coat. It resembled the wooden cross used to move real puppets on a string, but instead, this one had lighted dots at every end.

X got out a shuriken, this wouldn't be too hard, cut this little twerp up in half and then it would be over. Or perhaps he can gift wrap him and mail him somewhere far away. He chuckled, impressed with his own originality.

A stab of flame exploded from the darkness, taking X by Surprise. Just as he was about to jump off the display, a shell hit it, blowing Santa's sleigh and sending it crashing and burning to the floor. With X in it.

Red X gave an 'oof' as he hit the ground, lying inside the smoking sleigh. He looked up, shaking the dizziness from his eyes and saw a whole line full of Robot soldiers, each one carrying a rifle big enough to pass off for a small cannon. Each Robot was brilliantly painted with a red uniform, shining epaulettes and black furred shakoes. X smirked, remembering his own memories of playing with toy soldiers when he was small, this wouldn't be any different, except now his toys were just ten feet tall and carrying high explosives.

"I see….a little twerp with his own big toys. I'm not impressed." He stood up, brushing the dust off his uniform, as if the menacing robots in front of him didn't even exist.

"Attack! My puppets!" Puppet King waved his controller at Red X.

Twenty Robots leveled their muskets, and with mechanical precision fired at Red X. X simply teleported away with his stealth gear.

The entire room lit up in flame as each shell hit the other side of the store, throwing baby dolls, toy guns and stuffed animals into the air in a giant swab of flame. The Robots marched on, under the watchful eyes of their king.

They soon came to a stop.

Red X reappeared behind two robots in the line, and slapped a giant X on both their backs. The two giant Robots turned, dropping their muskets to grab him but X was too quick, he jumped onto one of the automaton's shoulders and landed on one of the beams on the roof.

Moments later, the two robots exploded, fried to a crisp by the Red electrical X's that were placed on their backs.

_"Dude…just when I thought this Christmas couldn't get any weirder." _Puppet Beast boy commented, dangling from his vantage point in the ceiling. It was the best view in the house and the titans watched with awe as X appeared everywhere, blowing up a Robot here, or cutting one off there. Red X shot a giant scarlet cross out of his palm, which cut through a Robot like a hot knife through butter. The Robot split into four separate chunks seconds later. Another Robot was stuck to the wall, unable to move, its joints jammed by the Red synothium goo.

_"Boo yah! At least he's kicking their butts." _Cyborg, for one, was all ready to cheer, so long as they can get their bodies back.

Red X indeed, was kicking butt. He took another X from his belt, throwing it like a Frisbee. The X sliced through the air, decapitating three Robots that were standing in line, before digging itself into the wall right besides Starfire's face. The Titan gave a great _eep _when the projectile narrowly missed her head.

X reappeared next to Starfire, standing on the blade that he threw at the wall. Even though he was outnumbered twenty to one, he still assumed his cocky demeanour, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed.

"So…..about that favour….." X gave Starfire a wink.

"Why….Why did you come back?" Starfire asked in amazement.

"Don't think of it as anything cutie, Stealing just wouldn't be fun in this town without you guys to keep things interesting." He smirked, then jumped off the wall, dodging another cannon shot that tore a smoking hole within the wall.

X teleported to the center of the room now, in front of the mountain of presents. He gave puppet king a glare and eyed his controller.

"You know? I think you're nothing without that little toy of yours." X began climbing the mountain of presents, jumping from one giant box to another on his way to the top, all the while dodging multiple shots from the remaining robots below.

The Puppet King however, watched without the slightest worry. "You do not frighten me. The Puppet King is in command here."

"Watch it shorty, unless you want to end up in the discount bin at the dollar store." X scaled the mountain now, jumping right in front of Puppet King's throne. The tiny villain just sat there, cackling as if he had nothing to worry about.

"There are at least five different ways I can take you apart." Red X said coolly as he took out his X-shaped blades on his wrist. They began spinning now, creating a sickening whirring sound that was similar to a buzz saw. "And I don't think you're going to like any of them."

"You want this?" The puppet king smirked, holding up the controller tauntingly in front of X. It didn't matter that his opponent towered over him. For the puppet king always wins….

"Get it." He chucked the controller behind the dark curtains behind his throne, and X instinctively ran to catch it.

X received a shock as a blue sonic blast ripped right through the curtains knocking X to the very edge of the display.

The puppet king gave a maniacal laugh, and before X could do anything, Robin and Beast Boy emerged, both body slamming the villain and sending him falling down several stories off the mountain into the floor.

X groaned sorely now, and he could barely move as the remaining dozen robots surrounded him, pointing their gun barrels menacingly at X, who seemed as helpless as a child on the floor. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Robin stood with their green glowing eyes behind the puppet king, who had already grabbed the controller and was holding it almost tauntingly in his hand. He watched with delight as his toy soldiers prepared to pull their triggers on the surrounded and disabled thief.

"Ah yes….bow….bow before your king, your superior." Puppet King taunted as Red X attempted to get up, and he was still struggling on all fours.

Red X looked up at that annoying little toy, feeling the sudden urge to rip that thing's mouth out.

"Any last words peon? Before I have my puppets annihilate you?"

X stood up, shaking from the pain, and he grunted, holding his shoulder which seemed like it was burning with fire. The Puppet king gave another triumphant laugh. He had won.

Then Red X grinned.

"Now that you mentioned it, yea shorty." He took out his two wrist X-blades.

"You're in my way."

Two explosions ripped puppet Kings arms off, and the villain recoiled, screaming. Not in pain, but in shock. In the midst of the battle, the puppet king had failed to take out the two explosive red X's that had been thrown into his wooden shoulders, and now, they went off.

X knelt on the ground, and the two X's whirred menacingly. The Robots pulled their triggers, but X was faster, he spun around on his knees, slicing at the legs of every Robot. The Robots began falling backwards, and their rifles clicked to fire harmlessly at the ceiling.

Red X teleported right in front of the puppet king, who was crawling towards his the edge of the platform with his one dangling arm. He was losing this battle, but there was still one way to win it.

X pulled no stops, he quickly brushed aside Beast Boy and Robin with a sticky red x, pinning both against the wall, while Cyborg was dispatched with in a similar fashion.

"You…..you will pay!" the Puppet king stood up facing Red X, and he realized that the controller was in Red X's hands.

"You wanted to play catch?" X balanced the Controller skillfully on one finger, then he threw it in the air. He gave a swift spinning kick before it hit the ground that sent it flying straight at the Puppet king like a dart.

The controller dug itself within Puppet King's chest, splintering his wooden body.

"GAH" The Puppet king stepped back from the concussion, closer to the edge.

"Catch Ya Later." X gave a salute, then threw one Red X at the puppet, which dug into his chest and sent him flying over the edge..

And into the blue cauldron of flame.

The Puppet King's body caught on fire immediately, and he screamed as he disappeared within the flames.

"No one……..….defies the…..puppet…ki…"

He was gone.

Brilliant flashes of light radiated around the room, and X watched with awe as several multi-coloured streaks of light flew out of the cauldron. The puppets dangling from the ceiling were radiating their own light, and Red X saw that they were streams of energy. Souls, all entering their proper bodies again.

"AW SWEET! My body!" Cyborg grunted, breaking free of the Synothium straps as he moved his arms and legs experimentally.

"Oh man! I'll never lose me again! Never." Beast Boy and Robin, breaking free from their own synothium goo, landed on the platform where Cy was standing. Beast Boy was hugging himself in joy.

The Titans however, had more to do.  
"Raven?" Starfire ran to Raven as soon as the boys freed her. She groaned weakly, lying on the floor. Cyborg felt for a pulse, it was weak, and Raven was barely keeping her eyes open.

"So……weak." Raven said softly.

"The Puppet King must have drained most of her energy, but she'll be fine." Cyborg said reassuringly.

"Yes…but we still got a job to do." Robin turned and stared at Red X

Red X, taken aback, opened his eyes widely. "Oh you got to be joking kid. Even after all that!?"

"It doesn't change the fact that you are a thief, and my responsibility." Robin said, seriously as he went into a combat stance. Cyborg and Beast Boy were ready, and while Starfire tended to Raven they prepared themselves. Cyborg was charging his cannon while Beast Boy transformed into a triceratops.

X gave a casual shrug. "If you are so confident, then go ahead kid, but you don't have a chance. Not…without this."

It was no Robin's turn to open his eyes in shock and he stared at his waistline, where his equipment belt used to be.

"He …. took my belt?" Robin said dumbfoundedly.

"Call it……sweet payback." X gave a mocking wink. "Now we're even. And don't think I'll give it back to you anytime soon. "

Robin scoffed, and rushed X anyway, up until Starfire screamed.

"STOP!" She implored the two, and the two combatants stopped in their tracks.

Starfire was elated that they had listened, but there was something wrong. They were not looking at her.

The Tamaranian was about to ask what was the cause of this but she got her answer. The ground began rumbling now, and the blue fire within the cauldron shot up into the ceiling more violently than ever. A monstrous figure appeared out of the cauldron, a gigantic entity that was wrapped in blue flame. It had no form, but it was huge, almost filling the giant hallway up to the roof as it stretched out of the cauldron. Two white eyes appeared in the flames, and soon a demonic voice began filling the mall.

**"NO ONE DEFIES THE PUPPET KING."** The flames roared, and soon toys began flying towards the entity, covering it. All of the redcoated Robots, the dolls, the santa displays, even the mountain of presents. Every toy in the store was sucked into the flame, creating a rough shape of a body. A body made entirely out of presents. It was a sick mess as the villain now took the form of a giant monster, each part of him composed of thousands of toys. Beast Boy watched with disgust as the reindeer and the sleigh of the santa display twisted and contorted to fit within the arms, and saw that every doll in the monster was alive and moving. The presents wrapped everything together and the puppet king was an unusual mishmash of colour, toys and blue flame.

The humanoid shape kicked the cauldron now, and it towered over the titans.

**"THE PUPPET KING IS IN COMMAND"** he roared, and Robin watched as the Puppet king's former body was absorbed into the monster, its deranged head sticking out from the giant monster's eye.

"Well now….." Red X stared blankly at the giant monster, as if in awe of the shorty's sudden growth spurt. Suddenly, without even looking at Robin or speaking a word, he tossed the belt back to Robin.

The boy wonder caught the belt in amazement, but barely had time to utter a word for the giant creature had slammed its arm on the floor, trying to crush the heroes.

Red X vanished, while beast boy, cyborg and Robin jumped out of the way. The giant hand smashed the floor, creating a huge torrent of dust and smoke. Beast Boy watched with interest at the moving dolls and toys that made up the huge arm and all the dolls eyes freaked him out, each one staring at him with their smiling faces.

"Chew on this!" Cyborg jumped on the arm, rushing the puppet king's head with his sonic cannon. But the arm beneath his feet melted, and Cyborg watched in horror as dozens of little dolls grabbed his legs, pulling him under what seemed to be a sea of toys.

"Cyborg!" Robin shouted, and watched as the mechanical titan disappeared within the Puppet King.

"Hang on buddy!" Beast Boy transformed into a T-rex, and charged the monster. The Puppet king pulled his arm back, and then shot it forward. Sending a screaming cyborg straight into Beast Boy's face. Knocking him back into the wall.

Robin and Red X both ducked for cover as the giant monster began shooting toys at them.

Both threw explosive discs at the monster's arm, eventually knocking it off. It dissolved into a stream of toys but the puppet king assimilated them again into his body.

"Got any bright ideas kid?" Red X asked as he saw the monster reassemble itself.

"Not at the moment." Robin was holding two explosive discs in his hand, trying to get his aim towards the monster's eye, where the puppet king's toy body was.

"Always up to me isn't it?" Red X smirked, then vanished, reappearing above the monster.

"Hope you're hungry." Red X smirked as the monster opened its 'mouth' to roar. He shot a barrage of explosive red X's into the head, each blast distorted the head even more, eventually sending his entire body flattening on the ground like a blob of toys.

"Time to wrap this up." He fired a gigantic X of Synothium goo, tying the monster down on the ground.

"Your move kid." Red X shouted, and Robin nodded.

He took out his bo staff, twirled it skillfully and climbed the Puppet King's monster body to reach his eye. As he ran, toys jumped out from the body, trying to grab him and pull him under all that mess.

Robin skillfully dodged it all. Jumping on doll's heads and avoiding the hundreds of arms that sprouted from the body, he eventually reached the top and saw the Puppet King's original doll, glowing fiercely with blue flame. This must be the center of the monster….

"Look out!"

A giant tentacle made out of toys emerged behind Robin, grabbing him from behind.

Red X dove down from the roof, but was eventually caught by another one of Puppet King's gigantic arms.

**"All those who oppose me will be destroyed "** The Puppet king's voice was unnaturally deep and menacing. A third arm sprouted from the sea of toys, this one made up of parts from all the Robots they had destroyed. The "fingers" of the arm were really the rifles that each soldier carried and now the Puppet king pointed them all at the two adversaries.

It looked like it was over.

**--------------------**

"How did he get so strong?" Starfire, still fighting off several huge toy arms, fired wildly, trying to protect Raven, who still lay weakly on the ground.

"He absorbed my magic…" Raven replied weakly.

"Well? What must we do?" Starfire asked, then saw that robin and Red X were now in the puppet King's grasps.  
"ROBIN!" She shouted.

"Don't worry Starfire." Raven replied…."It'll be alright…."

She took one deep breath. Her strength was nearly sapped, so she had to put all her strength, all her concentration into this one attack. Her eyes glowed in white energy, while her body became shrouded in black.

"Azerath…..Metrion….ZINTHOS!"

**-----------------------**

The last words echoed throughout the chamber, allowing even Robin and Red X to hear.

The Puppet King's arm was shrouded in black, and it was shaking, as if it was trying to move, but was unable to. Then the arm began falling apart, the black magic tearing each piece out with fine precision.

The arms holding Robin and Red X dissolved as well, and it was their chance.

"We got no time to waste!" They both ran, but a toy had grabbed Robin's foot, tripping him in the process.

The bo staff flew wildly in the air, before being caught by Red X. He watched as the hundreds of tiny doll arms began dragging Robin down into the sea of toys.

Red X ignored that, and instead looked at the cackling puppet, which glowed in bright blue aura in the head of the monster. X took the bo staff in one hand and aimed it like a javelin.

"Play time's over."

X sent the bo staff flying straight at the Puppet King's doll. The metal made a sickening cracking sound as it went straight through the Puppet King's wooden forhead, shattering it into a million pieces.

**"Nooooooooo"** The Puppet King roared, the blob of toys contorted and convulsed as the magic left it, all of it returning back to its rightful owner. Raven began feeling the power flow back to her now, and the Titans watched in awe as the gigantic monster dissolved into a mountain of toys. The pile twitched as the monster went through its deaththroes.

The Five titans gathered around the shattered pieces of the Puppet king, which did not move and did not talk.

The Puppet King was defeated. For good.

"I dunno about you guys…but I want to go home." Cyborg said tiredly, and he was met with a wave of consenting groans.

"It's been, a long night. Come! Let us all return and so that we may celebrate the day of boxing!"

"Home sounds good." Raven gave a slight smile.

"Something bothering you dude?" Beast Boy said to Robin.

"look." Robin pointed to a spot on the floor. Every toy and present was piled into the center of the room, where the Puppet King was defeated, but there, out in the open, were a pile of presents, seemingly untouched.

"Our gifts!" Starfire was elated, and the five titans rushed to see if it really was theirs. However, although they were happy, something wasn't right.

There were only three presents.

"Ok, it seems that this is for Beast Boy. Raven here's yours. And this is mine." Cyborg sorted through the presents with rapid efficiency.

"But where are ours?" Starfire asked with concern. Then her face saddened as it became painfully obvious that neither her nor robin's presents were there.

"Another question you can ask is….Where is X?" Robin said in an angered voice, not because of the presents, but also because he had so easily forgotten about the villain. The store was quiet, too quiet, and the titans now realized that the villain had gone.

"He should be long gone by now. Don't worry man, let it go. The guy saved us. No need to be so upset by it. We can always buy more presents." Cyborg gave a consoling hand on the shoulder.

Robin, half tempted to track down X even through Christmas eve, nodded condescendingly.

"Alright Titans. Let's go home."


	11. The Day of Boxing

Starfire gave a yawn as she opened her eyes, squinting them as they adjusted to the light of the morning sun. She got out of bed now, and opened the curtains.

A brilliant flash of light bathed the room in its warmth as the drapes flew open, and Starfire gave a bright smile as she saw the start of a new day. The city was beautiful, covered in white and shining brilliantly as the snow caught the first rays of the sun.

It was...as Robin said, the day of boxing. It was now time to go down and see what they had gotten for their Christmas.

**-----------------------**

The smell of pancakes filled the lounge at Titans tower, and the entire team gathered around their huge Christmas tree, eagerly anticipating the presents that were going to be unwrapped. Cyborg was grinning uncontrollably, while Robin leaned against the wall beside the tree, without uttering a word. His own presents were gone, and in X's hands, who knows when they'll see it again.

"Common over Star. Robin. We got a surprise for you later." Cyborg waved his hand at the two titans, who stood alone in the corner, as if they were apart from the celebration. "Don't take it so hard man. Christmas isn't about presents, we can still have some fun, isn't that right star?"

Starfire, never one to be bound by depression, clapped her hands eagerly. "Of course Cyborg, i for one am eager to partake in the festivities of the day of boxing!"

"Heeeey Robin." Beast Boy lifted an eyebrow. "Did you ask Starfire to stand under a mistletoe?"

Robin, taken aback by the question, suddenly blushed red. He was saved from having to make a reply by Starfire, who asked inquisitively.

"What is this mistle toe Robin?" Starfire tapped her chin innocently, then her face suddenly showed realization, as if a light bulb had turned on in her head.

"I believe i know what it is!" Starfire exclaimed proudly, but then continued in a confused tone

"Is it customary to stand under the toe of explosive projectiles at the time of Christmas?"

Beast Boy clapped his hand on his forehead in laughter, while Robin shook his head vehemently, calmly explaining to Starfire what Beast Boy implied.

"Yo man! Let's open our presents!" Cyborg was the first up, and he grabbed a Present wrapped beautifully in purple and black wrapping.

"Let me guess. Raven!" Cyborg gave Raven a smirk then attacked the wrapping viciously.

The wrapping gave way easily enough, and Cyborg's eyes lit up in awe as he saw the present he held in his hand. He lifted it up, as if it were a holy relic of some sort.

"Aw Raven! Attack of the protozoids 2 and Super ninja showdown 9!" exaggerated tears were in Cyborgs eye's as he hugged the DVD intensely. "How did you know?"

"Just a guess." Raven replied dryly, although she did give a small smile.

"Oooh Ooh, let's see what I got from Cy!" Beast Boy transformed into a small cub, tearing at the wrapping with his claws. He jaw dropped as he saw the gift inside.

"SWEEEET, An early release of Mega Monkeys four! I'd thought I'd never get one."

Cyborg gave a smirk. "Thought you might like it B, but this time, we'll play it on _my Computer_"

Beast Boy gave a nervous chuckle, then he saw Raven opening her present.

"What is it this time Beast Boy? A cherry bomb? Jack-in-the-box?" Raven commented dryly as she delicately opened the gift, taking special care not to rip the wrapping.

"Oh Beast Boy…..you-"

"Ah…you like it?" Beast Boy blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his head anxiously.

Raven held up her new cape in the air, to catch the rays of the sun. It was beautiful, more radiant than her old cape and more elegant as well. She was surprised, didn't know what to say, but eventually the words came out.

"Thanks Beast Boy." She smiled towards him.

"Now don't think we forgot about you." Cyborg pointed at Robin and Star, "X may have taken your presents, but it didn't stop us from getting you this!"

Cyborg pulled a giant box behind the curtains, while Beast Boy ran beside it, bowing as if he were presenting to an audience on stage.

Cyborg held the curtains, "Allow us to present-"

"The best gift idea ever! _By me by the-_." Beast boy continued.

"Anytime this year guys…." Raven cut them off.

Cyborg grinned, then the curtains came down, revealing the new presents.

Starfire received a new pair of boots, while Robin was presented with a revved up R-cycle.

"Stayed up all night improving her." Cyborg gave the bike a satisfied pat with his hand.

"Wow….." Robin stood there, as if struggling to find the right words.

"I dunno what to say….."

"There's only one way to celebrate a day like this." Beast Boy grinned mischeviously.

"SNOW BALL FIGHT!" Cyborg screamed, and both titans ran out of the door, catching Raven off guard as they both dragged her out the door.

"Yo! You two coming?!" Cyborg yelled just before he disappeared.

"We'll catch up later….." Robin, although the presents did brighten up the day, did not feel happy. He wanted Star to have his present, the one that he had given to her.

"Come now Robin! Let us go do battle in the snow." She said cheerfully.

"I'll catch up Star." Robin said morosely, then disappeared down the dark halls.

Starfire, seeing Robin so down at such a happy time, suddenly felt her interest in a snow ball fight go away.

She headed back to her room.

**Minutes Later**

Something had changed as Starfire entered her room. She could not quite put her finger on it. The automatic doors opened, and Starfire suddenly felt a chill down her spine. Was there anything wrong?

She scanned the room quickly, nothing had changed, from the fridge, to the purple walls and bed, everything was neat and tidy.

The window however, was open.

Starfire approached cautiously, and felt another bitter chill as a breeze flew into the room. She heard a familiar sound, like something fluttering in the wind.

The Tamaranian gave a gasp as she discovered where the noise was from. Right behind the curtains, were silhouettes of two boxes.

She lifted the curtains away, and right there, on the window sill, were two beautifully wrapped gifts.

"I thought you'd like them back." A shadowy figure said smoothly next to Starfire. The Tamaranian almost jumped in shock, and just stood there in amazement, since leaning against her wall, was none other than, Red X.

X stood up straight now, and walked towards the window. "Well, its been fun cutie, but I should be going now." He barely had time to place a foot on the window sill before Starfire shouted. "Stop!"

Red X turned around with an amused look on his face. "Am I that irresistible cutie?" He gave a mocked wink.

"I….I just wanted to say, thank you. And….Sorry about earlier." Starfire found herself struggling for words. This guy was a villain after all, but yet, she could not help but feel a strange sense of pity for him. The same pity she felt for Robin. How awful it must be for a person to be forced to rely on his own, without friends…..

"It was nothing." X waved off the apology, as if taking it as a sign of weakness. He didn't need any pity.

"On my planet, we value friendship and loyalty, although you are a villain, perhaps…it is possible for us to be friends."

Red X gave a chuckle. "From where I'm from, we call that a date."

"I'm afraid I cannot."

Red X gave a nod, as if he expected that answer. "Too bad cutie, too bad. I just hope bird boy is smart enough to realize how lucky he is."

"lucky?" Starfire asked in puzzlement.

"You'll figure it out someday." He smiled, gave her a salute, and disappeared out the window, jumping down to the lower levels.

**------------------**

Red X descended onto one of the platforms on the tower, and he watched the rest of the titans participate in their snow war. Beast Boy was a gorilla, using his huge arms to fire snow balls as fast as possible while Cyborg adjusted his sonic cannon to fire the deadly iced ammunition. Raven, at first refusing to take part, was soon dragged into it when Beast Boy gave her a face wash. After that, she used her powers to levitate a huge mound of snow over the two boys, burying them under a proverbial mountain of snow.

"I'd figure you'd be here." Robin, standing in the corner of the platform, was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"Don't worry Kid, you're presents are up there." X replied smugly.

"it's not the presents I'm concerned with."

Red X gave a laugh. "I see, then its about something else isn't it?" He finished that sentence with emphasis, as if implying something to the boy wonder.

Robin however, held out his hand to a surprised X.

"You're a thief, common scum, and a villain. But I want to thank you for what you did."

X, taken aback, shook Robin's hand anyway.

"So….kid, I guess we can call it even?" Red X replied casually.

Robin's hand went away now, and he gave X a grin. "I'd call it more of a head start X, make use of it. Its Christmas now, so I won't do anything, but next year… I'll be sure to put you behind bars."

"And I'll be sure to make things more interesting around here." X replied, then he jumped off the roof, and right before he disappeared he gave Robin a customary saluting wave. "Catchya later kid, and happy new year."

**--------------**

"BOOYAH!" Cyborg shouted as he fired his automatic cannon, burying Beast Boy under a continuous barrage of snow. The Green titan, not to be outdone, transformed into an elephant and shot a stream of snow at the android.

Soon however, two gigantic balls of snow, each the size of a man, flew straight into the air and plowed into the two boys, knocking them over senseless.

Raven smirked, teleporting over the two titans, who emerged from the mountain of snow, soaked and spitting as they accidentally got some in their mouths.

"Well..looks like its over." Raven said dryly.

"Think again." A voice popped up somewhere. Raven turned, but before she could do anything, a Red X slapped itself against her mouth, and before she knew it, she found herself being bombarded by a barrage of snow balls, each shot fired with rapid precision, and soon, she herself, was buried in a mountain of fresh snow.

"Aw, no way!" Beast Boy groaned, then transformed into a hawk to get a better view, but a giant Red X was already in the air, heading straight for Beast Boy. There was no time to dodge.

Before the X hit a panicking beast boy, the cross exploded, into a cloud of pure snow. Beast Boy, blinded by the flash, crashed into the tower, knocking off a huge clot of snow from the roof that landed right on him.

"Duuude…." Beast Boy's head was up, spinning, and he barely noticed Cyborg flying against the tower wall, pinned onto it by a scarlet cross.

"Yo man! This isn't fair!" He shouted in protest.

Red X smirked, casually tossing a snowball in his hand and catching it. "All is fair in love and war." He threw the snowball at Cyborg, then followed up with exploding X's, which landed at the Titan's feet.

The resulting explosion threw up a tidal wave of snow that pinned Beast Boy and Cyborg against the wall, as if an avalanche had hit the tower on its side.

Cyborg and Beast Boy popped their heads from the snow, their bodies stuck. The two titans groaned in defeat and they looked up to see a mischievous Red X smirk at them.

"Thanks for the fun kids, see ya next year." Then he disappeared.

Robin, watching all this from his room, smiled to himself. A knock came on the door, and he answered it, greeting Starfire with a renewed smile.

"Robin! I am sorry to disturb you but….look!" She produced the gifts. "Come! Let us go and open them, I am most eager to learn what you have given me." She blushed slightly now, and the two titans went to the lounge, where they opened each other's presents….

**Jump City Orphanage**

The kids woke up that morning with a start, bumps were heard on the rooftop while suspicious noises appeared all through the night.

One particular orphan, still in his blue pajamas and clutching his teddy, rubbed his tired eyes and walked towards the main hall, where the giant Christmas tree stood. Something had changed however, and the kid opened his eyes wide in shock as he realized the entire floor was covered in nicely wrapped presents, each decorated with a scarlet ribbon.

A window opened somewhere, and a chilly breeze flew into the room. The kid looked to the window, and saw a black caped figure with a sack over his back, wearing a mocked santa hat.

"Santa?" The boy rubbed his eyes tiredly, as if he didn't believe the sight. The figure was very different from the Santa he had been used to, this one carried the red hat alright, but he also had a tattered black cape, a skull shaped mask and a red scarlet on his body.

"Close enough kid." The figure smirked, "Close enough."

"And by the way, Merry Christmas Kid."

Before the kid could say anything, the mysterious figure disappeared, and the whole orphanage awoke to a wonderful Christmas morning. The children flocked to the tree, unwrapping their presents in delirious joy. Unbeknownst to them, a figure watched from a nearby warehouse roof, leaning on a chimney, remembering himself how he used to spend every Christmas morning just like this. Although he received nothing, he could not help but smile as he watched the scene from his vantage point.

After a while however, the figure disappeared in the snow. The Season of Giving was over, and the new year was just beginning.

The World would hear more from Red X soon enough.

**The End**

(Thanks everyone for the nice comments :D and sorry Starfire fan i didn't put your idea in, but....im not really a fluff writer, just a fanfic writer of episode formats ;) The series itself hints at things but never does them outright, i like it that way. Opens the road for the imagination ;))

Will there be a sequel? I'm thinking of doing a BB and Raven fic next....but who knows...Right now i think i exhausted my urge to write fanfiction ;) maybe if i see season 4 i'll be inspired again, but we'll see.

If anyone wants to read more, just check out my first fic. I find it kinda surprising that this fic gets the most replies :D since i was more proud of my first work, but oh well.

Anyways thanks everyone for your comments, I really appreciated them ;) Have a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


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